Fence wire spacer



Mair 14, 1957 E. H. ROENFELD 2,791,841

FENGE'WIRE SPACER Filed March 30, 1956 IN VEN TOR.

FENCE WIRE. SPACER Elmer H. Roenfeld, Mineola, lowa Application March 30, 1956, Serial No. 575,209

Claims. (Cl. 33-180) This invention relates to tools for building fences particularly of the type having several strands of wire stretched on posts, such as barbed wire fences, and in particular a vertically disposed bar with spaced openings therein and spaced horizontally disposed fingers on the lower end, and a wire retaining socket mounted by a threaded stud with a wing nut thereon extending through one of the openings in the bar, whereby with the socket set a desired distance from the fingers the fingers may be positioned on the ground or on a previously attached wire and a new wire retained by the socket until a staple straddling the new wire is driven into a post.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a relatively simple device with which strands of wire, such as barb wire, on a fence may be equally spaced, and also with which the lowermost wire may be spaced at constant distance from the ground in order to improve the appearance of fences of this type.

In the conventional method of building a fence strands of wire are stretched along the sides of posts and the distance between the wires and also the distance of the bottom wire from the ground is dependent upon the eye of the workman. By this means it is necessary for one man to hold the wire taut while another drives a staple in the post.

With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a bar having spaced openings or'bolt holes therein with vertically spaced horizontally positioned fingers extended from the lower end, and with a wire retaining socket having an overhanging lip extended outwardly therefrom mounted in one of the bolt holes with a threaded stud having a wing nut thereon.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a device for holding wires of a fence in equally spaced relation as the wires are attached to fence posts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for retaining wires of a fence in spaced relation as the wires are attached to posts in which the wire retaining elements are adjustable so that any suitable spacing may be provided between the wires.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device for accurately spacing wires of a fence in which the device is adapted to be supported by the wires as upper strands of wire are secured to posts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fence wire spacing device by which wires are spaced from the ground and also from wires attached to posts to provide uniform spacing of the wires in which the device retains a wire above the ground and also above a fixed wire in position for stapling so that a single Workman may con struct a fence and a helper for holding the wires is not required.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a device for holding wires of a fence in. equally spaced relation as the wires are attached to posts in which the distance between the spacing elements may be adjusted in the field.

nitcd States Patent 0 A still further object of the invention is to provide a device for retaining wires of a fence in spaced relation for stapling to fence posts in which a wire being stapled is readily inserted in a wire retaining socket of the device.

And a still further object is to provide a device for temporarily holding wires in spaced relation to facilitate attaching wires to fence posts in which the device is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects in view the invention embodies a fiat bar, of steel or the like, having spaced fingers extended from the sides of the lower end with a center finger spaced inwardly from the fingers at the sides and positioned to coact with the fingers at the sides for retaining the bar on a strand of wire, and also having spaced bolt holes in the upper portion, and an open socket having an overhanging lip secured in one of the bolt holes by a wing nut on a threaded stud extended therefrom.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the fence wire spacing bracket with part broken away and part shown in section, illustrating the use of the device in which the bracket is supported on a lower wire, which is attached to a post, and holding a wire above to facilitate retaining the wire above in position for stapling.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the bracket also with parts broken away and parts shown in section and also showing the device with the lower end on one wire and with a wire to be attached to a post extended through a socket above.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of a fence illustrating the use of the bracket for holding wires thereof.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the above-referred-to drawings, it is to be understood that they are merely for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise, without in any manner departing from the spirit and intention of the device, which is to be limited only in accordance with the appended claims. And while there is stated the primary field of utility of the invention, it remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

In the accompanying drawings, and in the following specification, the same reference characters are used to designate the same parts and elements throughout, and in which the numeral 10 refers to the invention in its entirety, numeral 12 indicating a bar having spaced openings or bolt holes 14 therein and fingers 16, 13 and 25) extended from one end, and numeral 22 indicating a socket having an overhanging L-shaped lip formed with a section 24 extended from the socket and a fiange 26 ex tended downwardly from the outer end of the section, and the socket is mounted on the bar with a threaded stud 28 which is adapted to extend through one of the bolt holes and which is provided with a wing nut 3i and a washer 32.

The fingers l6 and 18 extend from the sides of the bar with an opening 34 between the fingers, and the finger 2% extends from the intermediate part of the bar, whereby with the fingers positioned over a bar or wire, such as the fence wire 36 the finger 20 is above the wire and the fingers 16 and 18 below.

The socket 22 is substantially cylindrical having an opening 38 in one side and the lower portion provides a hook 40 by which a wire, inserted through the opening or gap, such as the wire 42 is retained in position against a post 44 whereby a staple 46 may be driven over the wire and into the post. The overhanging lip facilitates inserting the wire in the socket and also prevents the wire being accidentally displaced until it is secured to the post by the staple or the like.

With the openings 14 in the bar 12 spaced at regular intervals, such as one inch, the socket 22 may be set to a suitable distance from the bottom of the bracket or guide, so that with the device positioned on the ground or on a wire previously stapled to a post the wires of a fence may be spaced equally from the ground and also from each other. The bolt holes or openings may be provided with graduation marks 4-3 and each mark may be provided with a numeral, such as the numerals 54 indicating the distance from the end of the bracket.

The bracket is adapted to be positioned at the side of a post, as illustrated in Figure 2, and with the lower wire 3% secured in position upon the post, the fingers are placed over the wire and the wire above inserted in the socket 22. The wire above may then be stretched and held in position by the bracket as it is secured by a staple to the post.

With the fingers extended at substantially a right angle from the end of the bar the bracket will remain in position on the wire until the wire above is anchored to the post.

From the foregoing specification, it will become apparent that the invention disclosed will adequately accomplish the functions for which it has been designed and in an economical manner, and that its simplicity, accuracy, and case of operation are such as to provide a relatively inexpensive device, considering what it Will accomplish, and that it will find an important place in the art to which it appcrtains when once placed on the market.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Changes in shape, size, and rearrangement of details and parts such as come within the purview of the invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, it desired.

Having now described the invention that which is claimed to be new and desired to be procured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A fence wire spacer comprising a bracket having vertically spaced fingers positioned to straddle a horizontally disposed wire of a fence extended from one end and having spaced openings extended therethrough, a wire retaining socket having a stud positioned in one of said openings, and means securing the stud in the bracket.

2. A fence wire spacer comprising a bracket having spaced bolt holes therein and spaced fingers extended from one end, and a wire receiving socket including a hook with an overhanging lip and having a stud with a wing nut thereon adapted to be positioned in one of said bolt holes.

3. A fence wire spacing bracket comprising an elongated bar having spaced bolt holes therethrough with spaced fingers on one end and extended from the edges thereof and a coacting finger extended from the intermediate part and spaced vertically from the fingers on the edges of the bar, and a socket with a hookhaving an overhanging lip positioned on the side of the bar from which the fingers extend .and having a threaded stud extended through one of said bolt holes and secured in position therein by a wing nut threaded thereon.

4. In a fence wire spacing tool the combination which comprises an elongated bar having equally spaced openings therein with fingers extended at a right angle from one end, said fingers being positioned to straddle a wire, an open socket having a hook therein and an overhanging lip protecting the hook positioned on one side of the bar, said socket having a threaded stud adapted to extend through an opening of the bar, a wing nut threaded on the stud, and a Washer positioned between the wing nut and bar.

5. In a fence wire spacing device, the combination which comprises an elongated bar having spaced openings therethrough, the lowermost of said openings being spaced a predetermined distance from an end of the bar and each of the following openings being spaced according to a unit of measure, the end of the bar from which the openings are spaced a predetermined distance having a pair of fingers extended from one side and positioned on the edges thereof and another finger positioned between the pair of fingers and spaced inwardly from said pair of fingers, a substantially cylindrical socket having a gap in one side thereof and having an overhanging lip extended over the gap, said socket having a threaded stud extended from the closed side thereof and adapted to extend through one of the openings of the bar, and a wing nut threaded on the stud and having a washer between the inner end thereof and the bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 184,459 Coates NOV. 21, 1876 

